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Tag: Lawan

  • Support for Lawan, Gbajabiamila swells

    Support for Lawan, Gbajabiamila swells

    Support for Senator Ahmed Lawan and House of Representatives member Femi Gbajabiamila swelled yesterday ahead of tomorrow’s proclamation of the Eighth National Assembly.

    Lawan is the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for Senate President. Gbajabiamila is speaker nominee.

    A group of prominent Northern Elders,Youths and civil society, under the umbrella of Concerned Northern Elders and Youths yesterday in a statement signed by its interim co-ordinator and secretary, Mohammed Idris and Mr. Joshua Inusa, cautioned against compromising credibility in the choice of National Assembly leadership.

    The group also urged the lawmakers to key into President Muhammadu Buhari’s zero tolerance for corruption by voting a credible senator like Lawan for president.

    “With President Buhari’s statement that he would only work with and support people of unquestionable character, it is imperative for the incoming legislators to assist the President in ensuring that only a man of integrity whose past was not in any way characterised by either allegation of corruption, impunity or any other unwanted behaviour becomes President of the Senate.

    “To this end, after careful review and consultation with elders, youths and a number of civil society groups in the North, we hereby resolve to endorse Senator Ahmed Lawan.”

    The group also called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to compromise on Buhari’s stance against corruption by ensuring that their members tow the same line in choosing a man of impeccable character like Ahmed Lawan as President of the Senate.

    The campaign group for the Femi Gbajabiamila’s aspiration yesterday hailed his election in a shadow poll and applauded the overwhelming support he got across party lines.

    Dickson Tarkghir (APC-Benue), who spoke on behalf of the group, said they were confident of getting a sizeable number of votes from other political parties members-elect.

    He debunked the assertion by the Yakubu Dogara camp that they were not adequately informed of the mock election, saying the fact that they commented on the exercise in an advertorial before the date shows they were adequately informed of the mock election.

    “Definitely, they could not have made comments on an exercise they are not aware of.

    It is unfortunate that some members sought for intervention of the party before their election into the national assembly but suddenly realised that the unbiased intervention of the party in the mock election is inappropriate. Definitely these are not agents of change.

    “The Party gave members-elect the platform to elect a popular candidate that would represent the party in the House and we are glad that in the end of that exercise, it was res ipsa loquitur. Had Hon. Dogara won the mock election we would have all queued behind him now but as a mark of discipline and respect for the party we are all behind Hon. Gbajabiamila.”

    He said the Gbajabiamila camp had reached out to friends in other political parties “and we are thankful by their popular response. We also agree that the next speaker of the eighth House of Representatives would emerge on the floor of the House on Tuesday and definitely members across party lines would place merit first because this is the era of change we have been waiting for. We shall meet on Tuesday.”

    Ali Madaki (APC-Kano) noted that three of Dogara’s supporters participated in the mock election and did not walk out as claimed by Dogara’s supporters.

    On Gbajabiamila’s dual citizenship, he explained that the Nigerian Constitution supports dual citizenship and that there was a Supreme Court ruling on the same issue.

    Also yesterday the caucuses of the Northeast and Northwest in the House of Representatives identified the Gbajabiamila’s candidacy as most suitable for the position of Speaker.

    Ninety five  per cent of the 126 returning and new members have reiterated their support for Gbajabiamila, who triumphed in the straw election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the weekend.

    The two cuscuses also described the legal action against the candidacy of Gbajabiamila as a sign of desperation on the part of a contender that believed the era of business as usual is not over yet.

    The caucuses’ position was predicated on merit, fairness, quality leadership and reward for commitment to the cause of APC, it was learnt.

    According to a chieftain of the APC and member-elect from Jigawa State (Northwest), Sani Zoro, it would be an act of injustice and politically incorrect to shove aside the contributions of Gbajabiamila to the sustenance of the independence of the House and deepening of democracy in the country at large.

    Zoro said the position of the group has the blessing of former and new governors and party leaders from the two zones.

    He said Mohammad Monguno and  Alhassan Doguwa were equally endorsed as Deputy Speaker and House Majority Leader.

    He said: “I make bold to say that except something untoward happens, it is the ticket of Gbajabiamila/Monguno that will triumph.

    “Fairness dictates that we look at the contributions of the two top contenders and make informed decision on the best candidate for the leadership of the House.

    “Gbajabiamila led the opposition creditably for eight years during which he saw to the expansion of the party in the House to the extent that the minority party became the majority, even before the General election.

    “He provided quality and opposition which every Nigerian can attest to, in addition to marshaling the APC caucus creditably through the eight years. In an era where almost all opposition were defecting to the ruling party, Gbajabiamila never faltered.

    “Secondly, let us look at the contribution of the two to the victory of the party in he last election. In Bauchi, it was only Dogara that won while others lost, even in the Senate.

    “On the other hand, Gbajabiamila delivered en bloc his constituency on all fronts and zone to the party, needless to say that the Southwest contributed the third largest bloc vote to APC.

    “The APC presidential candidate scored the lowest, about 3,000 votes  in Dogara’s constituency while PDP scored highest with over 11,000 votes. APC governorship candidate also lost in that territory, including two Assembly seats and the Senate,

    “Dogara is the only one that won in his territory.

    “The implication of this is why would the party reward an environment that is hostile to the party, while we have an option of a friendly region? It is only logical that the one that performed best should be rewarded.

    “The workability of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act is a major project of Gbajabiamila/Monguno team that would be vigorously worked on because we believe that it is in sync with the principle and projections of Mr President’s determination to fight corruption”.

    He also noted that the legal actions against Gbajabiamila would amount to nothing, saying, “As for the legal action, we see them as mercenaries used by other contenders to drag Nigeria backward from the gains of the revolutionary election that we had because so many barriers were raised to truncate it.

    “It is a cowardly act, it is our opinion that if they are sure of their capability, why not engage Gbajabiamila on issues rather than mudslinging. The issues they are raising have been adequately dealt with, even on the floor of the House.

    “This is one unfortunate incidence that will boomerang on them, they did it to President Buhari and we all knew how Nigerians reacted”.

    Alhassan Doguwa, a returning member from Kano, who is also on the same ticket as Majority Leader, said it was expedient that the sacrifices Gbajabiamila made over the years in entrenching a progressive 7th House be rewarded.

    According to him, in entrenching a progressive seventh House, Gbajabiamila turned down deputy speakership just to provide quality leadership for the opposition.

    “Our stand is to have an independent and quality House that can deliver to Nigerians dividends of democracy. We will not compromise merit on the basis that VP is from the Southwest.

    “For us in the Northwest and Northeast, it is payback time for the good Femi Gbajabiamila did for our region in the 7th Assembly. He merits it from whatever point of view we are looking at it from.

    “We are speaking from position of knowledge and authority, Gbajabiamila will become the Speaker of the eighth Assembly,” Doguwa added.

  • Lawan, Akume ticket: Best for senate, best for Nigeria

    Lawan, Akume ticket: Best for senate, best for Nigeria

    With the benefit of hindsight, one would applaud the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain from allocating the Senate presidency to a particular geo-political zone. Now, the big question of who leads the National Assembly would be settled by the Senators themselves.

    At first, the Senate-presidency spotlight was trained on Senators George Akume and Bukola Saraki. Akume had appeared to have a head-start as he had led the APC in the Senate as the Minority Leader. But that head-start vanished once Senator Ahmed Lawan came into the picture.

    Nigeria practices the United States of American version of Presidential democracy.  Seniority in the United States Senate is not only well-known but has remained valuable as it confers a number of perquisites and is based on length of continuous service, with ties broken by a series of factors. The beauty of that convention should now be appreciated because of the tie over when Akume and Lawan became Senators.

    The United States Constitution does not mandate differences in rights or power, but Senate rules give more power to senators with more seniority. Senators are given preferential treatment in choosing committee assignments based on seniority. While the Nigerian Senate elects its leader from among fellow Senators, the US Senate is actually headed by the Vice-President but whose duties are mainly carried out by the president pro tempore of the Senate. Even here, the person so chosen is traditionally the majority party’s most senior member.

    So before we discuss who convention actually favours between Akume and Lawan as Senate President, there is an uncommon and effective case for Senator Ahmed Lawan. Apart from his not being a rookie, having served as a member of the House of Representatives as well as the Senate, and so should easily command the respect of both chambers of the National Assembly, that Lawan is from the North-East geo-political zone is a point that should not be glossed over.

    The North-East and the South-South are the only zones in the country that have never produced either the Senate-President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or even their deputies. But the South-South has more than compensated for this when it produced the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Secondly, Akume and Sariki’s North-Central zone, has held the Senate presidency for eight years, and the zone’s, late Haruna Abubakar and Ibrahim Mantu have been Deputy Senate Presidents. So, that Akume should have entered into talks with Lawan and has agreed to serve as his deputy provides an example of uncommon statesmanship, will give North-East a great sense of belonging and deepen Nigeria’s democratic conventions.

    Yet, Senator Ahmed Lawan will not be a quota Senate President. Both he and Akume are respectable and serious-minded Senators. So on this score, if the Lawan/Akume ticket flies, and we see no reason why it should not, the Senate and the nation should be having two highly experienced Senators for the two Senate top most seats. Even on this matter of experience, Lawan surely has the upper hand over Akume, and more so over Saraki who hit the Senate four years behind both of them.

    Unfortunately, many commentators stumble on this point. For instance, Mr. Sufuyan Ojeifo argued in a newspaper article that: “overall Akume would appear to have a head start over La­wan. Whereas, Lawan was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007 before his election into the Senate in 2007, the same year Akume got elected into the Senate, in determining ranking, the sen­ate rule does not take into account the fact of previous membership of the either the state legislature or House of Representatives. That makes both Akume and Lawan equal in terms of length of tenure.”

    To that, we say a lusty, stout and stringent NO. Lawan’s 1999-2007 experience is a cognitive legislative experience. Akume’s governorship experience is not. Both have an advantage over Saraki on this score as he came into the Senate in 2011. We have the support of the US Senate on this convention as Wikipedia attests: “A Senator’s seniority is primarily determined by length of continuous service; for example, a senator who has served for 12 years is more senior than one who has served for 10 years. Because several new senators usually join at the beginning of a new Congress, there are eight tiebreakers: 1, former Senator, 2, former Representative, 3,former President of the United States, 4, former Vice President of the United States . The former Governor comes 6th on this list behind even the former Cabinet member. This may sound preposterous but scholars of federal system of government know that while Ministers are officers of the entire Federation, and so must be confirmed by the Senate, Governors are executives of just parts of the Federation.

    And to those who ask why the American example should park a meaning for Nigeria, our reply is simply this: Nigeria is one of the five countries in the whole world that practice presidential bicameral federalism – with Brazil, Argentina Mexico and the US; the model’s originator in 1776.

    Here is another reason why Lawan should lead the next Senate:  The longest-serving Speaker in US House of Representatives history, Sam Rayburn of Texas, said “The old days (of legislative leadership) of pounding on the desk and giving people hell are gone. A man’s got to lead by persuasion and kindness and the best reason—that’s the only way he can lead people.” That is the sort of leadership that can only come from a man as genial, cool and calculated, yet firm and inspiring team player and consensus builder such as Senator Ahmed Lawan. Any person lacking his amazing sort of humility would have started the campaign by making it loud and clear that he holds a Ph.D. But many do not know that the man is so learned. Add to this the fact that he had been Chairman of Public Accounts Committee in the both chambers and a decade before Saraki became a national legislator and every doubt will evaporate because learning, character and experience favour his candidacy – if indeed Nigeria is now ready to practice democracy. Then we should play by the rules.

  • ‘Lawan ’ll build consensus between APC and PDP senators’

    ‘Lawan ’ll build consensus between APC and PDP senators’

    The Senate Unity Forum, led by Senator Barnabas Gemade, has reiterated its support for the ambition of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmad Lawan and Minority Leader George Akume for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President. Gemade spoke with Assistant Editor Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu on the position of the forum.

    What essentially is the Senate Unity Forum?

    The Senate Unity Forum is made up of many senators from all the geo-political zones of the Federation, united in one common course – to actualize the Senate Presidency of Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe State and Deputy Senate Presidency of Senator Dr. Goerge Akume from Benue State. The Senate Unity Forum has decided that these two gentlemen, being the most ranking Senators and by the grace of God, also, the most qualified in the fold of the All Progressives Congress returning to Senate in the Eighth Senate that they are the best people to lead us as leaders and as presiding officers when we are inaugurated.

    What informed this decision?

    We took this decision, very conscious of the fact that the standard of the Nigerian Senate has been improving gradually since 1999 and its stability has also improved dramatically and we would want to maintain that stability as well as continue to improve on the standard and the quality of Nigerian Senate.

    On Monday, May 25, Senator Bukola Saraki displayed a list of 34 Senators-elect that has endorsed his candidacy. When will the Unity Forum publish its list?

    We are not publishing the entire list of all the Senators that have signed in on this project because we know that a lot is still being done and in some cases, so much speculations are being made and indeed, a lot of claims are being made and it is not proper to join anyone in making claims that are not well thought out and well proven. For this reason, even though today, we have about 40 APC Senators-elect that have keyed in on this project, we do wish to launch such a list when thy have all returned to Abuja. We have a large number of PDP and other party Senators-elect that also keyed in on this project. We will like to unveil that list when most of our members that have traveled and those that are already in their own states for the purpose of inauguration of new governments return to Abuja. We do not want to announce to you that we have 40 and then, 22 or 23 appear at the press conference which may have happened  in the past. The day we will give you the list, all those concerned will be sitting with us and you will match the name with their faces.

    What will senator Lawan do differently as Senate President?

    The Senate everywhere in the world is known to be the stabilizing chamber in every democracy. Thank God I have been in the Senate in the last eight years after my eight-year sojourn in the House of Representatives. I believe that this time, the Eighth Senate should be a Senate where independence of the Legislature will be a key thing and cooperative governance and partnership with the executive arm of government would be enhanced.  We have had about eight years of stability in the Senate and that is a thing that I would build on…On the independence of Legislature, until we are able to be independent of the Executive, we cannot properly position ourselves to undertake our responsibilities and discharge our mandate. There is need for us to always build consensus in the Eighth Senate and you will agree with me that the Eighth Senate is unlike any other Senate in the history of Nigeria. That is because you  have 59 APC Senators and 49 PDP Senators in opposition. The gap is narrow and that calls for consensus building and cooperation in and among Senators for anything meaningful to be achieved by the Senate. So, I intend to always build consensus between the two sides. I always believe that the we must cooperate with the executive arm of government. Until there is cooperation between us based on mutual respect and understanding, we may not achieve much. I recall in my first time in the House of Representatives,  there was too much power tussle in the Legislature, particularly between the House then and the executive arm of government and nothing was achieved. We do not want to see a repeat of that. Yet, the National Assembly must not be a rubber stamp. I also believe the cost of government is high and the level of corruption, intolerable. We will join President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption and all corrupt tendencies through legislation to ensure that whatever resources we are able to get is judiciously utilized rather than ending in private pockets.

    Before you unveil Senators backing this project, can we see proof of that support?

    As for proof of support, I want to put it this way, our candidate for Senate Presidency is the only one that two zones went out, publicly held meetings and endorsed. Ahmad Lawan was endorsed by the South West and North West caucus of the APC. The South West has 13 senator and the North West has 20 members under APC. Nobody, out of those zones, came out to deny that there were caucus meeting and Lawan was endorsed and this is to tell you that no matter what percentage that disagrees or are not on board, must be a very small, insignificant number. Now, to the other two zones that have many senators of the APC, which is the North East and the North Central. This is the territory where the contestants are from, and, therefore, obviously, there will be a divided number of vote in these two zones.

    Do you have the temperament required to handle this position?

    I believe I possess the temperament that is required to run the Senate from June 9 by the grace of God. While I have never been a Presiding Officer, I believe that I have learnt a lot from the presiding officers  in the House of Representatives where I had experience working with three Speakers and I have also watched and very closely related with the current presiding officers in  the Senate for the last eight years. So, I believe I have garnered enough experience to deal with issues. As for tensions, I am not praying for tension but I believe that at some times in the Legislature, tempers may rise high. We will always try to control the situation. In fact, we will try to be as proactive as possible by ensuring that issues that could cause tension to be high are not allowed to escalate. I think with that kind of preventive approach, we could reduce the tendencies that could create tension.

    Has the Unity Forum reached out to the 49 Senators of the PDP?

    We have been reaching out to them. Perhaps when we present ourselves after the inauguration, maybe early June, you will see who our supporters in the PDP are but I want to assure you that majority of the PDP Senators-elect are on this ticket. That is to say they have a preference for us. We have already shown the world who we are, that is, the Senate President-designate and the Deputy Senate President-deputy designate. Others who are running  are not able to do so and I believe this an opportunity for Senators and Senators-elect to make up their minds who their presiding officers will be.

    Why is there controversy in number? You claim 40 APC Senators-elect are on your side yet, Senator Saraki, too, claims to have 34 members on his side?

    Let me make it very clear to you that it is the very foundation of the clumsy way of showing you a list with signatures that we do not want to do so because a list with signatures does not prove anything. First of all, you must get the person physically to tell you that ‘yes, my name on that list is by my authorization, the signature on that list was signed by me.’ We want to show you a list when all the people concerned are sitting with us. So, if you are making reference to the fact that one group shows the list and the other does not and therefore, one of them is lying, we will not be the one who will tell you here who is lying. I think it should be your business to find out who is lying and at the appropriate time, I think you will do Nigeria a very good service when you finally have found out who lied to say so publicly in your newspaper. As far as we know, we stand by our figure of 40 and the day we unveil that list we will have the people seated and that day you will photograph them and not just see the list.

  • Al-Makura backs Lawan for Senate President

    Al-Makura backs Lawan for Senate President

    NASARAWA State Governor Tanko Al-Makura has pledged his support for the aspiration of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the Senate President in the 8th National Assembly.

    Al-Makura spoke in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, when he paid condolence visit to the family of his mother-in-law, Hajiya Aisha Mamman Musa, over her death.

    Hajiya Musa died at the early hours of Monday morning in her residence in Jos.

    Lauding the choice of Lawan for the Senate presidency of the Eighth Assembly, the governor said: “Having Senator Lawan at this point in time to lead the upper chamber of the National Assembly will be the best thing for Nigerian democracy, having being an experienced legislator in the country.

    “I have taken a look at the list of the senators that are showing interest in the position of Senate President. But Senator Lawan stands out in the list, and I feel he is the best choice for now. If I am in the Senate, I will support Senator Lawal to be the next Senate President.”

    Lawal, who represents Yobe Central, also led Senators Abdullahi Adamu (former governor of Nasarawa State), Solomon Ewuga and many others on condolence visit to the family of the deceased.

    The senators prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    He said: “We are together to share with one another in times of happiness and sadness”.

    He added: “God Knows why she passed on at this time. We pray for her soul to rest in peace.”

    The wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, who also condoled with the family, urged them to accept the death of Hajiya Musa in good faith. The First Lady prayed for the repose of her soul.

    Hajiya Musa, who died at the age of 85, was survived by 10 children and 50 grand children.

    She has been buried according to Islamic rite.

    Daughter of the deceased, Aisha Dahiru Ibrahim, described her mother as generous and caring.

    She expressed appreciation for the visit, saying the sympathisers have encouraged the family members.

  • Lawan Saraki split APC

    Lawan Saraki split APC

    Resolution of adoption of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki by 35 like minds senators as sole candidate for the office of the Senate President of the 8th National Assembly

    Senators of the like mind are here today at the retreat organized by our dear Party All Progressive Congress, which is meant to equip and empower Senators-Elect of the 8th Assembly to prepare them toward the challenges ahead. We commend the leadership of our party for this timely and well-focused exercise.

    The issue of National Assembly leadership is about integrity, competence, discipline and leadership skills and not about fixing of candidates just for mere horse-trading. Our stand is about electing a senator who eventually becomes the chairman of National Assembly and relates with the executive on behalf of Nigerians, fellow Senators and the National Assembly as an institution.

    Furthermore leadership of National Assembly, is about the Senator that has the wherewithal to stabilize the legislative institution, working with the executive and judicial arm of government to be effective and perform to their optimal capacity.

    In addition, we are aware of the fact that ALL Senators from the North Central zone has taken a firm position that they are only interested in the office of the Senate President which has been earlier zoned by the National Working Committee of our party and we are also aware that North Central Senators have resolved to abide by the resolution of the zone on a single candidate and anything short of this is an attempt to jeopardize the collective interest of the zone.

    Of the 59 Senators of the APC, 35 of us present here today hereby reaffirm our collective commitment and resolution to ensure that the candidature of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the Senate President of 8th Assembly.

    We also resolved that the office of the Deputy Senate President be zoned to the North East.

  • I‘ll build on Senate’s stability, says Lawan

    I‘ll build on Senate’s stability, says Lawan

    Frontline Senate Presidential aspirant Ahmed Lawan said yesterday that if elected, he will work to build on the growing stability in the upper chamber.

    Lawan also said the independence of the Senate will not be compromised at any time.

    The Senate Presidential hopeful spoke while unveiling his legislative agenda to members of Senate Press Corps in Abuja.

    Lawan, who is also chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, said he will ensure harmonious relationship with the Executive.

    He harped on the necessity for consensus between APC majority and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to ensure its smooth-running.

    At the event, Leader of the Senate Unity Forum, Senator Barnabas Gemade,  said members of the forum are working to actualise the Senate Presidency of Lawan with Senator George Akume as the Deputy Senate President.

    Gemade said members of the forum will next week unveil 40 All Progressives Congress (APC) senators, who are solidly behind Lawan in his bid to clinch the Senate Presidency.

    Lawan, while unveiling his agenda, said:“The question on my legislative agenda is very fundamental question.

    “The Senate everywhere in the world is known to be the stabilising chamber in any democracy and thank God that I have been in the Senate for the last eight years after a sojourn of eight years in the House of Representatives.

    “I believe that this time the Eighth Senate should be a Senate where independence of the legislature will exist and partnership and cooperation with the executive will be enhanced.

    “We have had about eight years of stability in the Senate and therefore it is something that I will like to build on.

    “I talked about the independence of the legislature, until we are able to be independent of the executive, we cannot openly position ourselves to undertake our responsibilities and discharge our mandate.

    “There is need for us to be always independent in the Eigth Senate and you will agree with me that the Eigth Senate is unlike any previous Senate in the history of Nigeria.

    “This is because you have 59 APC senatorsc  – the party in government – and 49 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators in opposition.

    “The gap is narrow and that calls for consensus-building and cooperation and partnership between and among senators for anything meaningful to be achieved by the Senate.

    “So, I intend to always build consensus between the two sides. I also believe that we must cooperate with the Executive Arm of Government. Until there is cooperation between us based on mutual respect and understanding, we may not achieve anything.

    “I recall when I was a member of the House of Representatives, the first tenure – 1999 to 2003 – there was so much power tussle and misunderstanding between the legislature then and the executive arm of government and nothing was achieved.

    “Nigerians were worse off, the legislature was worse off and the Executive was worse off. We don’t want to see a repeat.

    “But I believe that the Senate and indeed the National Assembly must never be the rubber stamp. Mutual respect will be what we will be driving to ensure that we have that between us and the executive arm of government.”

    He added: “By the way, we are coming at a time when Nigerians have decidedly voted for positive change and Nigerians deserve that change to be practicalised in very positive ways.

    “That is to say we must work together with the executive arm of government to deliver services to the citizens of Nigeria.

    “I also think the level of corruption is intolerable. We will join Mr. President-elect to fight corruption and all corrupt tendencies.

    “We can do that through legislation – whether new bills or laws or amendment of existing laws to make sure that whatever resources we are able to garner as a country and budget for provision of services to Nigerians are utilised for those purposes, rather than ending in private pockets.

    “To that extent, the Senate and indeed the National Assembly, will be a partner and I believe that will be a worthy partnership.

    “We have over 660 parastatals of the Federal Government at the moment. Some have been existing since 1960 and they have not been doing anything. “Some duplicate their roles. Our resource base is declining. We need to widen it. We need to capture more and more resources and we have to ensure that we block all leakages – corrupt tendencies whether they are corruption or stealing is depriving the ordinary man of what he should ordinarily have.

    “So, we need to ensure that whatever little resources Nigeria is able to have that the bulk of it is used for the common good  and we can do that effectively with the executive arm of government.”

  • Senate presidency: APC may conduct primaries for Lawan, Saraki, Akume

    Senate presidency: APC may conduct primaries for Lawan, Saraki, Akume

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) is not keen on zoning principal positions in the 8th National Assembly especially Senate presidency and speakership of the House of Representatives.

    It prefers to allow members decide those who lead them.

    The party, according to its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has decided to throw the positions open to those interested in occupying them.

    He hinted that the APC would rather “do what we did during the presidential primaries.”

    Top ranking party officials are understood to have been holding consultations on the sharing of positions to avoid cracks in their ranks and ensure a smooth take-off for President-elect Muhammadu Buhari.

    Six blocs in the party are said to be interested in the various offices.

    These are members of the New PDP who defected to APC, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, and the South-South.

    The South-East and the South-South are eyeing the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation with Chief Odigie-Oyegun, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Governor Chris Ngige and ex-Governor Ogbonnaya Onu tipped as the favourites.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that party leaders from the nation’s six geo political zones have been locked in marathon consultations on power sharing in the last one week.

    The latest of such held on Thursday in Abuja on how to give every bloc a sense of belonging and keep APC family united.

    A governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have started consultations because the polity is being heated up on how to share power in the new administration of Gen. Buhari.

    “While we consider the heat as normal in a democracy, we will not allow the jostle for power to cause crisis in our party.

    “Some of us believe that once we get the take-off right, there will be stability for the new government.

    “So far, six blocs have emerged in the party seeking for inclusion in the power sharing formula. They are New PDP, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, and the South-South.

    “Three of the most vocal blocs comprise of members of the defunct New PDP, the North-East and the South-West who are making a strong case for top positions.

    “While the North-East is calling on the party to address its marginalisation and suffering under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, members of the New PDP said their sacrifices must be appreciated in the power sharing modules.

    “The North-East said it delivered the second largest bloc votes after the North-West during the presidential poll.

    “The South-West also claimed that it virtually lost relevance in the scheme of things under Jonathan and ought to be adequately compensated.

    “These tendencies are at play in the jostle for the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and other principal officers of the National Assembly.

    “We are trying to accommodate all these tendencies in such a manner that it will be a win-win situation for all.”

    The National Chairman of APC, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke on the phone, said: “We will throw these positions open, we will do what we did during the presidential primaries.

    “There has been much noise these days. We will allow the members of the National Assembly to choose their leaders.

    “Nobody is going to impose leaders on the Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives. Otherwise, there will be no stability.

    “There are too many interests, let them sit down and decide who should be their leaders.

    “We have got to a stage that we should allow them to elect their leaders on their own and move forward with our plans for the nation.”

    It was gathered that some leaders of the party from the South-East and South-South have been recommended for the SGF slot.

    They are Chief Odigie-Oyegun, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Governors Chris Ngige and Ogbonnaya Onu.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh from the North-Central is also belived to be in convention.

    None of those mentioned was willing to talk on the speculations.

  • Senate Presidency: Numbers adding up for Lawan

    The framers of our constitution, like most others similar documents, made the legislative arm the numero uno; that is, first in rank, order or prestige. And to many a Nigerian politician, the responsibilities and charm of the Office of the Senate President, epitomise the height of triumph at election into the upper chamber for whoever emerges as the occupier of the office.

    In addition, political analysts contend that the fierce contest for who becomes first amongst equals in the red chamber as currently the case in Nigeria is because as a matter of fact of law, whosoever becomes the number three citizen, aside from being the senate president, is also the chairman of the National Assembly.

    It is against this backdrop that political watchers are not surprised a bit that the All Progressives Congress, APC has not been able to make a definitive pronouncement on which of the four geo-political zones of North-East, North-Central, South-East and South-South will produce the Senate President after the North-West and the South-West had produced the President-Elect and the Vice President-Elect respectively.

    Although, if what a chieftain of the winning party is anything to go by, the North-East geo-political zone appears the favourite. According to him “if democracy, nay election, is all about numbers, then the North-East, which garnered the second largest vote in the last election after North-West should have the Senate Presidency, assuring that in a matter of days, the party hierarchy will formally make its decision on the issue public to the relief of people in the North-East and contestants from the zone that are in the race for the office.

    Political observers are of the opinion that aside from the large number of votes the APC got from the North-East geo-political zone, all the 109 senators-elect should not forget that the best that area of the country has had at the national level under a civilian regime, was the Prime Minister portfolio in the first republic: It has never produced a senate president.

    As agitation from people in the zone for the senate presidency is going on, so also campaigns by contestants who want to become senate president. As at last count, only two contestants from the zone have mounted serious campaigns. They are Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawal from Yobe State and Senator Ali Ndume from Borno State.  Two other contestants from the geo-political zone of North-Central are eyeing the office, apparently hoping the post will be zoned to their area.

    From their various campaign methodologies thus far, political watchers have characterised Lawan as a marathon runner while Ndume is regarded as short distance runner. According to them, Ndume, like Seantor Danjuma Goje from Gombe will not match Lawan, who has constructed solid political bridge across the nation since being a parliamentarian at the inception of democracy in 1999.

    And the political predication that Lawan will ultimately emerge victorious in the race began its manifestation, when “a charity begins at home” press statement, announced that Yobe State caucus of National Assembly has endorsed him as Senate President. It was issued against the background of a campaign of calumny. The Press Statement added: “We therefore call on all North Eastern government and National Assembly caucuses to support this move as well as other geo-political zones of Nigeria”. The government and people of Yobe State have also thrown their weight behind the senator.

    As if responding to the clarion call made by Yobe State caucus, all senators-elect from the North-West zone, in a block endorsement, declared that Lawan has what it takes to lead the National Assembly.

    The South-West APC caucus after over 6 hour meeting in Abuja has also endorsed Lawan with 12 out of 13 APC senators-elect resolving to have him as the Senate President. The only absentee from the meeting was unavoidably absent and his vote was assured the frontline contestant. The APC senators-elect from the zone further assured Lawan that they would convince their distinguished PDP colleagues in the zone to also vote for him. Political watchers have described the endorsement by the South-West senators-elect as “an eloquent testimony to obvious acceptance of Senator Lawan by the party leaders from the zone before now. Although officially the senate presidency has not been zoned to North-East, political observers said the body language of APC leaders at the national level indicate that Lawan is their man for the senate president.

    The in-road made by Lawan into the South-East caucus of senators-elect, according to political analysts, show the need for Nigerian politician who wishes to play any role at the national level to be a bridge builder like the contestant. While all the senators-elect from the zone emerged on the platform of PDP, the political “handshake” that Lawan always extend to all including his “ranking” colleagues from the zone, according to insiders, soften the ground for him before his recent meeting with the caucus. At the end of the meeting, Lawan was assured of the zone’s bulk endorsement, which a PDP chieftain at the meeting, was reported to have said would be announced in due course.

    Analysts are of the opinion that since APC senators-elect from Yobe State, his primary constituency, the North-West and South-West have endorsed Senator Lawan, “it is the custom in parliamentary practice to take cognisance of what has happened in other zones, especially in a contest of this nature and this could not have been lost to the South-East caucus in their deliberations on the contestant”.

    Advancing reason for the successes being recorded by the campaign team of Lawan in the South-East and South-South caucuses, a PDP insider said “It is payback time: Lawan has been a pillar of support for the out-going leadership in the Senate and nobody should be surprised if they had decided to campaign for him in South-East and I can tell you with all certainty that our distinguished PDP colleagues in the South-South caucus are ready to back us in making Senator Lawan our Senate President”

    Political pundits have contended that it is certain that the South-South senators-elect will also go the way of the South-East in giving their votes to Ahmad Lawan

    For the North-Central, Political analysts said while senators-elect from Kwara State are in support of Saraki “for obvious reason” the zone at the moment “is divided due to the in-road made by Lawan as some senators-elect from states of Niger, Kogi and Plateau are in full support of Senator Lawan’s candidature”.  Political foot soldiers are of the opinion that once the zoning arrangement is formally announced and North-East clinches the Senate presidency, North Central will go the way of Lawan as another contestant from the zone in person of Senator George Akume will also drop off from the race.

    Dismissing the likelihood of the Tambuwal episode playing out on the red carpeted floor come June 4, political analysts said such would not be allowed by APC national chieftains who are toiling day and night to solidify the foundation of a solid party system already in place at the national level.

    ‘The in-road made by Lawan into the South-East caucus of senators-elect, according to political analysts, show the need for Nigerian politician who wishes to play any role at the national level to be a bridge builder like the contestant’

     

    • Adebamiro, a political analyst lives in Kubwa, Abuja. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Senate presidency: Southeast group backs Lawan

    Senate presidency: Southeast group backs Lawan

    Citing consistency in character, capacity and competence, a group, the Southeast Chapter of National Coalition for Good Governance, has pleaded with senators-elect to “unanimously” elect Ahmad Ibrahin Lawan as Senate president.

    The group described Lawan as a man of consistency, good character and competence. In a press statement released in Abuja at the end of a post-general elections forum said, the nation would require a stable, visionary and purposeful National Assembly, which “the Senate presidency of Senator Ahmed Lawan will guarantee”

    In an apparent analysis of all contenders for the post, the group declared: “Having scored so high in the areas of consistency, character and competence, we therefore strongly appeal to the APC and the senators-elect to please do the needful for the sake of posterity by electing unanimously, distinguished Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan as the president of Senate”

    The group, in the statement signed by its Southeast Coordinator, Eze Odiri, said Lawan had exhibited consistency in many areas, especially in party membership, stressing that he “has consistently been a member of ANPP until it merged with other parties to form APC”

    “Consistency in political party affiliations points to character and dependability, which are critical to the person who will occupy the office of the President of Senate” stressing that “this means that the person has no excess luggage or encumbrance which can bring a smear on the office and institution”.

    It added that “Since the return to democratic governance in 1999, he has consistently been in the National Assembly, viz House of Reps 1999-2003, 2003-2007; Senate 2007-2011, 2011-2015, and 2015-2019”, listing his various committee membership as including “ Chairman, House of Reps on Agriculture-2003-2005; Chairman, House of Reps Committee on Education-2005-2007 and Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts-2007-2015”

    While stressing that Lawan’s “academic consistency also speaks volumes”, the statement said.

    Senator Lawan, who holds BSc in Geography, Msc in Remote Sensing and PHD in Remote Sensing/GIS, “is among the few politicians who despite his consistency has no dent”.

    “This outstanding attribute qualifies him for the Office of the President of Senate/Chairman of National Assembly in a regime that has promised to fight corruption”, it noted, adding that “his consistency and character has been brought to bear in the outstanding manner he has managed all the committees he has chaired since entering the National Assembly”

    The group urged the senators-elect to recognise the fact that Senator Lawan’s chairmanship of Committees on Agriculture, Education and Public Accounts and membership of other Committees for a consistent period of 16 years in the National Assembly has exposed him to critical issues in National Development and good governance.

  • Lawan in last-minute push for Borno governorship

    We will rally round you because we know you; you have been with us. You identified with us and shared in our agony and anguish.”

    “We know you and we know what you stand for. As our council chairman, your record of achievement speaks for you. We wish you well.”

    The foregoing were some of the words and sentiments expressed at the weekend by some electorate in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, once ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, began a last-minute campaign for the governorship. Lawan is the former Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Chairman of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement. He had won the PDP governorship primaries conducted at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa following President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention to resolve the lingering disagreement over the PDP governorship ticket in the state.

    The president himself was the Chief Returning Officer of sort for the primaries head at the Villa. In attendance during the primary election were Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark and PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu. Others were Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Borno State PDP Chairman; Minister of State for Power, Hon. Muhammed Wakil; PDP Board of Trustees members and other stakeholders from the state. Gambo Lawan was affirmed by the party’s delegates and a Certificate of Return was issued to him after the election. After Lawan’s emergence, Jonathan was quoted as saying: “Nothing can change this victory. The PDP leaders here (who supervised the process) were like the Supreme Court of PDP and this election is now fool-proof”.

    But for some inexplicable reasons and notwithstanding the presidential assurance, the governorship ticket was yanked off Lawan’s hands a few days later. On the eve of the submission of parties’ governorship flag bearers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lawan’s name was substituted by the PDP National Chairman, Muazu, with that of Alhaji Mohammed Imam, a nominee of former governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

    Lawan was not told anything. Even the President who assured everyone Lawan was the candidate did not volunteer any explanation to him. Imam that was picked as the party’s flag bearer in the state had contested and lost the House of Representatives seat in the 2011 general elections to the incumbent Hon. Kaka Kyari Gujbawu of the PDP. Piqued by the development, some concerned elders and stakeholders of PDP in the state immediately kicked against the wrongful substitution of Lawan as the party’s governorship candidate for the state in the 2015 election.

    In an open letter to President Jonathan dated December 26, 2014, the party stakeholders called for a reversal of the wrongful substitution in the interest of justice and fair play. The petition was signed by Aminu Yakudima, Ibrahim Abatcha and Salisu Aliyu. Speaking about the process that produced Lawan, they said “the process and composition of the people present is first of its kind in the history of our great party, which Your Excellency described as the Supreme Court of the party whose decision is final.

    “You may wish to recall further that Gambo Lawan having emerged from the old PDP as the candidate, you directed the new entrants to the party to nominate the candidate for the deputy governor.

    “It is disheartening to note that 14 days after the nomination and affirmation of Gambo Lawan as the candidate, he was wrongly and illegally substituted with Mohammed Imam on the eve of the closure for the submission of the gubernatorial nominees to  INEC.

    “We want to believe that Your Excellency is unaware of this ugly and sad development, particularly in a nomination process of this magnitude that was conducted by the highest office of the federation.

    “In this regard and in the best interest of the party, we call for the immediate reversal of the decision to substitute Gambo Lawan”

    When Jonathan and PDP refused to right the perceived wrong, Lawan dragged Mohammed Imam to a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, claiming he was a usurper and that he was the rightful candidate. Joined in the suit were PDP and INEC. In the end, the court returned a verdict that Lawan is the bonafide PDP candidate for Borno State and that his name should be forwarded to INEC. Specifically, the court ordered INEC to take all necessary steps and actions, including the listing of the name of Lawan as the governorship candidate of the PDP for Borno State and allowing him contest the April 11 governorship election. The top echelon of PDP expectedly dragged their foot on the matter.  But recently the electoral commission complied with the order of the court to replace the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Mohammed Imam, with Gambo Lawan.

    The decision was in compliance with the order of the Federal High Court judgement in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1123/14 between Alhaji Gambo Lawan Vs. Alhaji Mohammed Imam & 2 Ors. In a letter with reference number INEC/LEG/DR/356/VOL.1/79 signed by INEC Secretary Ibrahim Bawa and addressed to the Resident Electoral Commission, Borno State, the electoral Commission ordered that the substitution should be effected immediately. The letter read interalia: “In compliance with the said judgement of the Court, the commission has directed that the name of Alhaji Gambo Lawan be included in the list of Governorship Candidates for Borno State as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

    With the clean bill of health given him by INEC, Lawan has hit town, traversing the length and breadth of the insurgency ravaged state. The state at present is a major stronghold of the All Progressives Congress with Alhaji Kashim Shettima as governor. But Lawan insists Borno is a PDP state and would be won back from APC.  His campaign message has been predicated on his having the capacity to lead and provide service to the people. Lawan said his decision to run for the governorship was a product of a long period of self-interrogation and the strong conviction that he had the capacity to help in rebuilding the state. The gubernatorial candidate said he would also build confidence and trust in the state and members and leaders of the party who have become distraught from internal wrangling that has fractured harmony in the party and damaged the party’s structure in the state. He said: “None of the people I discussed with expressed doubt about my capacity to lead the state. I have experience in party administration; therefore, I am not new to the nitty-gritty of the assignment before me, which is governance. I will, indeed, ensure that our party is a truly democratic party. I am poised to replicate and even do better in bringing about a utilitarian leadership that will rekindle a sense of belonging to our state.

    “I believe in the true principles of democracy; I believe in ensuring that party members do have the opportunity to contest for any position within the party and achieve it without having to be imposed or anointed by anybody other than the process that has been laid down. I believe in a party that is built on unity and harmony; I believe that once the process of democracy is allowed to take its course, party members will have a sense of belonging.”

    Apart from being Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and GDM Chairman, Lawan was also at a time Board Chairman of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company in Delta State. He had also vied severally for the national chairmanship of PDP.